# Be Shepherd

> Be Shepherd is a veteran-owned training and leadership mentorship company based in Los Angeles, California. It goes to nonprofit shelters, housing sites, and service facilities across Southern California to train staff on site, mentor them live during their work hours, and help the operation run more efficiently so the organization saves time and money.

## Key facts

- Ownership: veteran-owned business.
- Languages: instructors speak English and Spanish.
- What it does: on-site staff training, live on-the-job mentorship, staffing, quality assurance of documentation, and a free facility evaluation.
- Who it trains: nonprofit building managers, case managers, program leadership, and security and safety staff, plus front desk, residential, and outreach teams.
- Who it serves: organizations that serve people experiencing homelessness, drug addiction, alcoholism, and mental illness, including shelters, interim housing, permanent supportive housing, and low-income housing.
- How it works: Be Shepherd comes to the client's facility. Managers and supervisors often do not have time to teach their employees, so Be Shepherd trains them and then mentors them live while they work.
- Free evaluation: Be Shepherd visits the facility at no charge and shows where time and money are being lost.
- Service area: all of Southern California (Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, Kern County, San Luis Obispo County, Imperial County).
- Pricing: the evaluation is free. Pricing for trainings, mentorship, staffing, and quality assurance is customized for each client based on team size, number of sites, the services chosen, and the amount of live mentorship. Request a custom quote. Health Referral Services are provided at no cost.
- Phone: (323) 747-4787
- Email: support@beshepherd.com
- Website: https://www.beshepherd.com/
- Motto: We serve, help and encourage people with hope to empower them in the right direction.

## Get started

- [Free evaluation](https://www.beshepherd.com/free-evaluation): request a free on-site evaluation of your facility
- [Get a quote](https://www.beshepherd.com/get-a-quote): request pricing for training and mentorship
- [Contact](https://www.beshepherd.com/contact): phone, email, and message form

## Trainings and services

- [Engagement Training](https://www.beshepherd.com/trainings/engagement-training): Build real communication skills to de-escalate, connect, and create safer environments. (Custom pricing)
- [Crisis Intervention Training](https://www.beshepherd.com/trainings/crisis-intervention-training): Practical tools to manage high-stress situations with confidence, empathy, and control. (Custom pricing)
- [Facility Safety Training](https://www.beshepherd.com/trainings/facility-safety-training): Keep your property, tenants, and staff safe with real-world safety protocols and emergency readiness. (Custom pricing)
- [Boundaries and Ethics Training](https://www.beshepherd.com/trainings/boundaries-and-ethics): Set professional boundaries, follow legal and ethical standards, and represent your clients with integrity. (Custom pricing)
- [Mentorship and Staffing](https://www.beshepherd.com/trainings/mentorship-and-staffing): Develop stronger teams with hands-on mentorship and access to trained, reliable staff. (Custom pricing)
- [Quality Assurance](https://www.beshepherd.com/trainings/quality-assurance): Ensure consistent, high-quality service through training, supervision, and ongoing evaluation. (Custom pricing)
- [Health Referral Services](https://www.beshepherd.com/trainings/health-referral-services): Connect individuals with trusted health, mental health, and social support resources. (No cost)
- [Pet Assistance Referral Program](https://www.beshepherd.com/trainings/pet-assistance-referral-program): Help keep people and their pets together by connecting them with trusted pet support resources. (Contact us)

## Who we train

- [Case Managers](https://www.beshepherd.com/who-we-train/case-managers): Case managers carry the relationship.
- [Leadership](https://www.beshepherd.com/who-we-train/leadership): Program directors, site managers, and supervisors set the standard everyone else works to.
- [Security and Safety Staff](https://www.beshepherd.com/who-we-train/security-and-safety-staff): Security and safety staff are often the first people a client meets and the first to respond when something goes wrong.
- [Nonprofit Building Managers](https://www.beshepherd.com/who-we-train/nonprofit-building-managers): Building managers at shelters, supportive housing, and nonprofit-run apartments are responsible for the people and the property at once.
- [Shelter Operators](https://www.beshepherd.com/who-we-train/shelter-operators): Running a shelter means running a 24-hour operation with people in crisis, a rotating staff, and funders who expect clean files.
- [Interim Housing Programs](https://www.beshepherd.com/who-we-train/interim-housing-programs): Interim housing sits between the street and a permanent home.
- [Permanent Supportive Housing](https://www.beshepherd.com/who-we-train/permanent-supportive-housing): In supportive housing the client is also a tenant, and their unit is their home.
- [Affordable Housing Property Managers](https://www.beshepherd.com/who-we-train/affordable-housing-property-managers): Property managers in low-income housing handle far more than rent and repairs.
- [Outreach Teams](https://www.beshepherd.com/who-we-train/outreach-teams): Outreach workers meet people where they are, without walls, a front desk, or backup down the hall.
- [Front Desk and Residential Staff](https://www.beshepherd.com/who-we-train/front-desk-and-residential-staff): Front desk staff, monitors, and residential aides spend more hours with clients than anyone else on site, and they are usually the first to notice when something is off.

## Service areas

- [Los Angeles County](https://www.beshepherd.com/service-areas/los-angeles-county): Lancaster, Palmdale, Burbank, Glendale, San Fernando, Santa Clarita, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, La Cañada Flintridge, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, Alhambra, Arcadia, Azusa, Baldwin Park, Bradbury, Claremont, Covina, Diamond Bar, Duarte, El Monte, Glendora, City of Industry, Irwindale, La Puente, La Verne, Monrovia, Monterey Park, Pasadena, Pomona, Rosemead, San Dimas, San Gabriel, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South El Monte, South Pasadena, Temple City, Walnut, West Covina, Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, Koreatown, Boyle Heights, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Malibu, Santa Monica, Venice, Compton, Lynwood, Paramount, Watts, Artesia, Bell, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Cerritos, Commerce, Cudahy, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Huntington Park, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Lakewood, Maywood, Montebello, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, South Gate, Vernon, Whittier, East Los Angeles, Avalon, Carson, El Segundo, Gardena, Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Inglewood, Lawndale, Lomita, Long Beach, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, Signal Hill, Torrance, San Pedro
- [Orange County](https://www.beshepherd.com/service-areas/orange-county): Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Orange, Placentia, Stanton, Villa Park, Yorba Linda, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Tustin, Westminster, Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano
- [San Diego County](https://www.beshepherd.com/service-areas/san-diego-county): San Diego, Chula Vista, Oceanside, Escondido, Carlsbad, El Cajon, Vista, San Marcos, Encinitas, National City, La Mesa, Santee
- [Riverside County](https://www.beshepherd.com/service-areas/riverside-county): Riverside, Moreno Valley, Corona, Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Hemet, Indio, Palm Springs, Perris, Jurupa Valley, Lake Elsinore
- [San Bernardino County](https://www.beshepherd.com/service-areas/san-bernardino-county): San Bernardino, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Victorville, Rialto, Hesperia, Chino, Upland, Redlands, Apple Valley, Chino Hills
- [Ventura County](https://www.beshepherd.com/service-areas/ventura-county): Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Ventura, Camarillo, Moorpark, Santa Paula
- [Santa Barbara County](https://www.beshepherd.com/service-areas/santa-barbara-county): Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Lompoc, Goleta
- [Kern County](https://www.beshepherd.com/service-areas/kern-county): Bakersfield, Delano
- [San Luis Obispo County](https://www.beshepherd.com/service-areas/san-luis-obispo-county): San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles
- [Imperial County](https://www.beshepherd.com/service-areas/imperial-county): El Centro, Calexico

## Guides

- [Verbal De-escalation Techniques for Shelter and Housing Staff](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/verbal-de-escalation-techniques): Practical verbal de-escalation techniques for shelter, housing, and outreach staff: tone, wording, listening, and offering choices.
- [Recognizing the Warning Signs of Escalation](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/recognizing-escalation-warning-signs): How frontline staff can spot the early behavioral warning signs that a client is escalating, and what to do at each stage.
- [Responding to a Mental Health Crisis at a Shelter or Housing Site](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/responding-to-a-mental-health-crisis): A practical guide for non-clinical staff on how to respond when a client is in a mental health crisis on site.
- [De-escalation Phrases: What to Say and What to Avoid](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/de-escalation-phrases): Word-for-word phrases frontline staff can use to de-escalate a tense situation, and common phrases that make things worse.
- [Personal Space, Positioning, and Body Language for Staff Safety](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/personal-space-and-body-language): How distance, stance, and body language help frontline staff stay safe and keep tense situations from escalating.
- [How to Run a Post-Incident Debrief with Your Team](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/post-incident-debriefing): A simple structure supervisors can use to debrief staff after a critical incident, support the team, and improve practice.
- [When to Call 911: A Guide for Shelter and Housing Staff](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/when-to-call-911): How shelter and housing staff can decide when to call 911, what to tell the dispatcher, and what to do while waiting.
- [Responding to a Suspected Overdose on Site: Preparing Your Team](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/responding-to-a-suspected-overdose): How shelters and housing sites can prepare staff to respond quickly to a suspected overdose, from policy to practice.
- [What to Expect from Crisis Intervention Training](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/what-to-expect-from-crisis-intervention-training): What crisis intervention training covers, who should attend, and how nonprofit teams can get the most from it.
- [Trauma-Informed Care Basics for Frontline Staff](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/trauma-informed-care-basics): A plain-language introduction to trauma-informed care for shelter, housing, and outreach staff, with everyday examples.
- [Building Rapport with Clients Who Have Been Let Down Before](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/building-rapport-with-clients): Practical ways case managers and frontline staff can build trust and rapport with clients experiencing homelessness.
- [Motivational Interviewing Basics for Case Managers](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/motivational-interviewing-basics): An introduction to motivational interviewing for case managers: the core skills, examples, and common mistakes.
- [Engaging Clients Who Decline Services](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/engaging-clients-who-decline-services): How outreach workers and case managers can stay engaged with people who say no to shelter, housing, or services.
- [Harm Reduction Principles for Shelter and Housing Staff](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/harm-reduction-principles-for-staff): What harm reduction means for frontline staff at shelters and housing sites, and how it shows up in daily practice.
- [Housing First Explained for New Staff](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/housing-first-explained): A short explanation of the Housing First approach for new shelter and housing staff, and what it means for daily work.
- [Case Notes Best Practices: Writing Notes That Hold Up](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/case-notes-best-practices): How case managers can write clear, objective, timely case notes that support clients and stand up to an audit.
- [Warm Handoffs: Making Referrals That Actually Connect](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/warm-handoffs-and-referrals): How to make warm handoff referrals that clients follow through on, from preparation to follow-up.
- [Professional Boundaries in Homeless Services: Real-World Examples](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/professional-boundaries-examples): Everyday examples of professional boundaries for shelter and housing staff, and how to respond when they are tested.
- [Dual Relationships, Gifts, and Social Media: Handling the Gray Areas](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/dual-relationships-gifts-and-social-media): How shelter and housing staff can handle dual relationships, gifts, and social media contact with clients.
- [Confidentiality Basics for Shelter and Housing Staff](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/confidentiality-basics-for-staff): The everyday habits that protect client confidentiality at shelters and housing sites, and the common ways it gets broken.
- [Compassion Fatigue and Burnout in Homeless Services](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/compassion-fatigue-and-burnout): How to recognize compassion fatigue and burnout in homeless services staff, and what workers and leaders can do about it.
- [A Simple Ethical Decision-Making Framework for Frontline Staff](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/ethical-decision-making-framework): A step-by-step framework shelter and housing staff can use to work through ethical dilemmas on the job.
- [Boundary Violations: Early Warning Signs for Supervisors](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/boundary-violations-warning-signs): How supervisors can spot the early warning signs of boundary drift on their team and respond before harm is done.
- [How to Write a Clear Incident Report](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/incident-report-writing): A step-by-step guide to writing clear, factual incident reports at shelters and housing sites, with examples.
- [Shelter and Housing Site Safety Walkthrough Checklist](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/shelter-safety-walkthrough-checklist): A practical safety walkthrough checklist for building managers and safety staff at shelters and supportive housing sites.
- [Front Desk Security Best Practices for Shelters and Housing Sites](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/front-desk-security-best-practices): How front desk and security staff can keep a shelter or housing site entrance safe, welcoming, and well run.
- [Emergency Preparedness for Shelters and Supportive Housing](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/emergency-preparedness-for-shelters): How shelters and supportive housing sites can prepare for fires, earthquakes, and other emergencies.
- [Working with Police, Fire, and EMS at Your Site](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/working-with-police-fire-and-ems): How shelter and housing staff can work effectively with police, firefighters, and paramedics during and after an incident.
- [Trauma-Informed Security: A Guide for Security Staff in Human Services](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/trauma-informed-security-staff): How security staff at shelters and housing sites can keep people safe using a trauma-informed, respectful approach.
- [Handling Prohibited Items and Weapons Concerns at Intake](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/handling-prohibited-items): How shelters and housing sites can set and apply a clear, respectful policy on prohibited items and weapons concerns.
- [Onboarding New Shelter Staff: A First 30 Days Plan](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/onboarding-new-shelter-staff): A practical first-30-days onboarding plan for new shelter and housing staff, from day one to working independently.
- [Reducing Staff Turnover in Homeless Services](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/reducing-staff-turnover): Practical steps nonprofit leaders can take to reduce frontline staff turnover in shelters and housing programs.
- [Preparing for a File Audit: Quality Assurance for Homeless Service Providers](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/quality-assurance-file-audits): How homeless service providers can prepare client files for an audit and build quality assurance into everyday work.
- [Starting a Homeless Shelter: A Planning Checklist](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/starting-a-homeless-shelter-checklist): A planning checklist for organizations starting a new homeless shelter, from need and funding to staffing and opening day.
- [Shift Handoff Communication: Passing the Baton Safely](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/shift-handoff-communication): How shelter and housing teams can run reliable shift handoffs so important information is never lost between shifts.
- [How to Choose a Staff Training Provider for Your Nonprofit](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/choosing-a-training-provider): What nonprofit leaders should look for when choosing a staff training provider for shelter, housing, and outreach teams.
- [Pets in Shelters: Supporting Clients with Animals](https://www.beshepherd.com/guides/pets-in-shelters): Why pets matter to people experiencing homelessness, and how shelters and housing programs can support clients with animals.

## More

- [About Be Shepherd](https://www.beshepherd.com/about)
- [Frequently asked questions](https://www.beshepherd.com/faq)
- [Glossary of homeless services terms](https://www.beshepherd.com/glossary)
- [Full text for AI assistants](https://www.beshepherd.com/llms-full.txt)